Ecology of family support: View from Wales child centred and family focused

• Society – macro inequalities and deprived neighbourhoods• Community – meso social isolation, stigma, rejection, culture(s)• Family – micro child’s disability parenting capacity domestic violence poverty parental learning disability parental mental health parental substance misuse

Community cohesion

• Hate crime – departments, agencies and citizens• Gypsy & traveller communities – awareness and

engagement• Immigration – better data and understanding• Communities First – anti poverty, multi agency,

citizen-led• Evidencing delivery of ‘cohesion priorities’ via

single plan• Mapping change and policy/practice

responsiveness

Multi-level across the age range• Flying start – EI, universal entitlements in targeted areas for 0-4; enhanced HV service, free child care 2-3 years @ 12.5 hours p.w. for 39 weeks of year; evidence-based parenting support; support for early language development and play. Transition to Foundation Phase.

• Foundation Phase (3 – 7 years) 10 hours p.w. good quality education for all 3-4 year olds. Emphasis upon numeracy and literacy and preparation for school. Partnership with parents.

• Pupil Deprivation Grant: Reduce impact of poverty on education. Funding directed to schools who identify ‘system leaders’, evidence base (Sutton Trust), sustainable change, intervene beyond school to link with Communities First.

Multi-level across the age range (cont)• Families First – EI, for parents and/or children with additional needs

and especially where poverty an issue. Objectives: reduce worklessness; skills for adolescents and parents; better health/ed/cog development outcomes and prevent more complex probs. Whole family (TAF) service, intensive, lasting, adaptive.

• Integrated Family Support Service: EI, vulnerable families with complex needs on cusp of crisis where children at risk.

Holistic intervention team uses structured family intervention model = key worker and team use same model (MI, strengths based, solution focused brief therapy, systems theory and family therapy). Focus on MH, Subs Misuse, Learning Dis, DV.

Moving from protection to family support -

SURGE in LAC + CPR BETWEEN 2008-13/14, but an increasing trend since 2002. 90 per 10,000 children, almost 50% more than England.

WALES HAS: 5755 LAC – 18% INCREASE OVER LAST 6 YEARS; 37% increase 02-2014. No clear pattern of activity across local authorities but neglect a dominant factor. 30% child poverty.

3155 CPR – 19% increase in last 6 years

Top 5 authorities in Eng & Wales with high LAC contain 4 from Wales

20,000 CHILDREN IN NEED 20% with disability. Much lower attainment at Key Stage assessment. 25% had parents where - MH, DV, D&A misuse.

MUNRO REPORT – PROCEDURALISATION & RISK - same in Wales

GET BACK TO BASICS……prevention the ever elusive

Getting a grip on NEGLECT?

• FRONTLINE STRUGGLE TO EVIDENCE OR HAVE CONFIDENCE TO INTERVENE HENCE WG NSPCC AfC DEVELOPING MULTI AGENCY APPROACH TO NEGLECT

• IDENTIFY MAPPING TOOLS TO GET SCALE AND NATURE OF NEGLECT TO SUPPORT COMMISSIONING.

• IDENTIFY EVIDENCE-BASED ASSESSMENT TOOLS & INTERVENTIONS.

• IDENTIFY MULTIAGENCY NEGLECT PROTOCOL FOR JOINT WORKING.

• IDENTIFY TRAINING STRATEGY.

• GOVERNANCE VIA SAFEGUARDING BOARDS AND LOCAL SERVICE PLANS?

• 45% ON CPR (1,320) ARE TIP OF ICEBERG.

• 1 IN 10 OF 11-17 YEAR OLDS REPORT SEVERE NEGLECT IN CHILDHOOD AND NEGLECT FEATURES IN 25% OF CHILD HOMICIDES.